Eagles' Kelly mum on injuries to Mathis, Barbre

— After saying in a radio interview this morning that he didn't think left guard Evan Mathis had a season-ending knee injury, Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly this afternoon had nothing more to offer on either Mathis or right tackle Allen Barbre's injured ankle.

Both players were forced out of Sunday's 34-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half and did not return.

According to multiple reports, Mathis has suffered a medial collateral ligament sprain that could keep him out of action for two months and could land him on the injured reserve-designated to return list.

Although Kelly said he had no further information on either of the injuries and refused to speculate on how the offensive line would be structured when the Eagles visit Indianapolis next Monday night if both players are out, the Eagles are almost certain to make a move this week to add at least one offensive lineman to their 53-man roster.

Should Mathis go on injured reserve, nobody would have to be cut to make that happen. But if they elect to keep him on the roster, one of their four tight ends, nine linebackers or seven defensive linemen, positions they went heavier on coming out of training camp, likely will have to be released.

"We'll figure it out when we get there," was all Kelly would say about his plan for the weakened offensive line. "For me to sit here and say it's going to be this, this, this and this, I don't know who's in, who's out.

"We meet later on this afternoon, and we'll get together in terms of putting a group out there."

Mathis, according to reports, is expected to miss four to eight weeks with his injury. Barbre has a high ankle sprain and also could miss multiple games.

Andrew Gardner replaced Barbre, who went out first, leaving backup center David Molk as the only other reserve offensive lineman who was active on Sunday. Molk then was forced to play guard for the first time in his pro career when Mathis was felled in the second quarter.

Barbre himself was a fill-in for Lane Johnson, their first-round pick from a year ago who is sitting out a four-game suspension to start the season due to a positive test for performance enhancing drugs.

Gardner and Molk have never started a game in their pro careers, and Barbre had just seven starts before Sunday.

But the Week 1 gradebook on the Eagles released today by Pro Football Focus was encouraging. It graded Molk and center Jason Kelce as perfect in pass protection and guard Todd Herremans with a +2.8 grade. Molk was second in the run game with a +2.2.

"Anytime you can have continuity, I think it's a bonus," Kelly said, "but obviously injuries a part of the game and … next guy's got to go in. And I thought Gardner and Molk did a good job when they went in there."

Kelly's response when asked why outside linebacker Marcus Smith didn't see any action on Sunday was the ultimate non-answer and non-vote of confidence at the same time.

Smith, who also was deemed not worthy enough to contribute on special teams either, was the only Eagle in uniform other than backup quarterback Mark Sanchez who didn't play.

On the other hand, maybe the Eagles just didn't need Smith there. The coverage and return teams played very well.

"Our special teams was obviously a little bit improved from where it was year ago," Kelly said. "You had five touchbacks, and the two that were taken out, one was taken to the 13 and the other was taken to the 14. We excelled in the punt return, obviously adding Darren back there, but I thought we blocked it better. I think we had five punts downed inside the 20 yard line. We did some good work there.

"We need a little work on kickoff return, that needs to improve, but I thought Chris [Maragos, who led the Eagles with two special-teams tackles] was a real good addition here in the offseason. He takes a lot of pride in being a special teams player and stood out for us from that standpoint."